Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base games are well known. Gaming machines generally require the player to place or make a wager to activate the primary or base game. In many of these gaming machines, the award is based on the player obtaining a winning symbol or symbol combination and on the amount of the wager (e.g., the higher the wager, the higher the award). Generally, symbols or symbol combinations which are less likely to occur usually provide higher awards. In such known gaming machines, the amount of the wager made on the base game by the player may vary. That is, different players play at substantially different wagering amounts or levels and at substantially different rates of play.
Secondary or bonus games are also known in gaming machines. The secondary or bonus games usually provide an additional award to the player. Secondary or bonus games usually do not require an additional wager by the player to be activated. Secondary or bonus games are generally activated or triggered upon an occurrence of a designated triggering symbol or triggering symbol combination in the primary or base game. For instance, a bonus symbol occurring on the payline on the third reel of a three reel slot machine may trigger the secondary bonus game. When a secondary or bonus game is triggered, the gaming machines generally indicates this to the player through one or more visual and/or audio output devices, such as the reels, lights, speakers, video screens, etc. Part of the enjoyment and excitement of playing certain gaming machines is the occurrence or triggering of the secondary or bonus game (even before the player knows how much the bonus award will be).
Certain known gaming machines employ a variety of different selection type games as bonus games. Upon an initiation of certain of these known selection type bonus games, the gaming machine displays a plurality of selections and enables a player to pick one of the displayed selections. If the picked selection is associated with an award, the gaming machine provides the player that award. In certain selection games, the gaming machine provides the player with a limited quantity of picks (such as five picks), and enables the player to use each pick to select one of the displayed selections.
There is a continuing need to provide new, exciting, and engaging bonus games and, in particular, new, exciting, and engaging variations of selection type bonus games, to increase player enjoyment and excitement.